EXCLUSIVE: Multi-million dollar OTR plans revealed

DEVELOPMENTS ON THE MOVE: On The Run (OTR) Penola Road site manager Vanessa Schmitt is all smiles with news the company will undertake a $10m expansion in Mount Gambier.
EXPANSION: The multi-million dollar redevelopment will include the vacant building on the corner of Penola Road and Wyatt Street.

ONE of the state’s fastest expanding companies will pour $10m into developing two On The Run (OTR) developments in Mount Gambier, which is expected to create 100 ongoing jobs.

The current OTR on Penola Road will be redeveloped under the plan, along with a second site on the corner of Ramsay Avenue and Jubilee Highway East.

Revealing the developments exclusively to The Border Watch, a company spokesperson said the OTR blueprint would include a Krispy Kreme doughnuts production facility established in Mount Gambier.

The news comes amid a flurry of commercial investment announcements in Mount Gambier, including approval of a new McDonald’s store on Jubilee Highway East, the looming $8m Fidler and Webb project and a multi-million-dollar industrial land sale on the city’s western fringe.

OTR business development manager Philip Moir said OTR had great confidence in the Mount Gambier region and the company wanted to start construction “as soon as it can”.

“The company will be investing approximately $10m in these two developments, creating an estimated 150 construction jobs and up to 100 ongoing retail, wholesale and production positions across its Mount Gambier stores and depots once they are complete,” Mr Moir said.

“We will be constructing a new OTR at the Penola Road site that not only includes a wide range of convenience retail offers, but will also be home to regional South Australia’s first Guzman Y Gomez Mexican Taqueria.

“Guzman Y Gomez is the fastest growing fast food brand in Australia and serves fresh, whole, delicious Mexican food served fast and in a vibrant, culture-rich environment.”

The OTR will trade 24 hours, include a 100-bay convenience supermarket as well as selling “world famous” Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

“We are also delighted to confirm that OTR has recently lodged an application for development approval for Mount Gambier’s second OTR to be located at the corner of Ramsay Avenue and Jubilee Highway East,” Mr Moir said.

“This exciting new OTR Convenience is aimed at providing much needed facilities for the heavy transportation community with a dedicated truck canopy, truckies’ lounge, truck parking facilities, as well as reliable petroleum wholesale fuel facilities.”

OTR Jubilee Highway will be home to the doughnut production facility producing the full range of Krispy Kremes.

The production facility will also be a regional distribution point for Krispy Kreme across the South East.

In another initiative, the company – through a collaboration with St John Ambulance SA – will install public access defibrillators across all OTR sites with an aim to assist in saving lives across regional communities.

Each year, approximately 30,000 Australians suffer from sudden cardiac arrest.

The chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest increases from 10pc to 70pc when there is an automatic external defibrillator available.

OTR has 135 petrol and convenience stores across metropolitan and rural South Australia, employing more than 2800 South Australians.